When it’s time to retile your swimming pool, it’s natural to consider more eco-friendly options. Traditional pool tiles are often made from non-renewable materials with negative environmental impacts. However, sustainable alternatives that are just as attractive and durable are available.
This article will explore some of the most viable eco-friendly pool tiling materials on the market. We’ll look at natural stone tiles and options made from recycled glass, plastic and other post-consumer waste streams.
We’ll also evaluate factors like maintenance requirements, costs, and the environmental footprint of various sustainable tile products. By the end, you’ll understand which eco-tile material may best fit your pool retiling project. Let’s start exploring some renewable pool surfacing solutions.
Natural Stone Tiles
Natural stone tiles are an attractive, eco-friendly option for pool surfaces. Stone tiles have a beautiful look and feel that can mimic more expensive materials. They also have excellent durability suited for withstanding the demands of a pool environment.
Travertine
Travertine tile is a form of limestone formed by mineral springs. It has a distinctive veined appearance in tan, grey and white shades. Travertine holds up well to heat, chemicals and weathering. While more porous than other stones, it can be sealed to protect against stains. Travertine tiles conduct heat well to lend a warm feeling to pool water.
Limestone
Limestone tile shares many traits with travertine but with a smoother appearance. It also comes in tan, grey and white colour variations. Limestone is very durable and long-lasting.
Its dense composition offers resilience to damage. Being slightly less porous than travertine, limestone may require less frequent re-sealing. Like travertine, it conducts heat efficiently from sun exposure.
Recycled Materials
Reusing waste materials is one of the most sustainable options for pool tiles. A glass mosaic pool tile and plastic tile use post-consumer items otherwise bound for landfills. Cement tiles incorporate recycled material additives.
Recycled Glass Mosaic Tiles
Made from 100% recycled glass, these tiles come in vibrant colours. The manufacturing process fuses glass particles into solid pieces under extreme heat. These luxurious recycled glass pool tiles can be used throughout your home, from interior applications such as the kitchen or bathroom to outdoor pools, allowing you a flexible designer tile that offers a sustainable design solution.
Glass tiles have a non-porous glossy finish ideal for pool surfaces. Their composition makes them resistant to stains, chemicals and algae growth. Installation is like ceramic tiles but requires special cutting tools due to glass hardness.
Recycled Plastic Tiles
Plastic tiles blend recycled plastic with resins or cement to form durable square or hexagon panels. Common plastic wastes reused include PET, HDPE and mixed plastics.
The final products resemble stone or wood aesthetically. Plastic tiles hold up well in swimming pools and need little maintenance. They can be cut with standard power tools and installed similarly to stone or pavers.
Cement-Based Eco Tiles
These tiles utilise cement reinforced with recycled additives like fly ash, slag or glass bottle cullet. Using industrial byproducts reduces the raw material footprint.
Formulated to be as hard as ceramic or stone, cement tiles are extremely resilient to chemicals, cracking and weathering. Their grey or custom-coloured surfaces give a contemporary vibe to pools.
What Should You Think About Before Tiling Your Pool?
When choosing eco-friendly pool tiles, there are important characteristics to evaluate beyond aesthetics.
Durability
Will the tiles withstand the chemical-laden pool environment for many years? Stone and cement tiles typically last decades, while recycled plastic may degrade more quickly from UV exposure.
Maintenance Requirements
Will the tiles need frequent cleaning, sealing or repair? Porous stone requires sealing coats more often than non-porous glass. Cement avoids sealing but may develop hairline cracks over time.
Installation Costs
Do installation techniques differ between products? Glass requires special dry-cutting tools. Concrete pavers tend to be heavier, potentially driving up labour expenses. Consider installation complexities when weighing costs.
Environmental Impact
Look beyond whether a tile contains recycled content to its whole eco-footprint. Glass and plastic have high embodied energies from production heating. Locally sourced stone may be better than distant imports with large transportation carbon loads.
Comparing tiles across these relevant factors will help decide which balanced the priority concerns for an eco-friendly swimming surface that fits the budget. Performance, maintenance and total environmental credentials should all weigh into selection.
So, Are There Eco-Friendly Pool Tiling Options?
The answer is yes. Several sustainable materials can be used for pool tiling projects. As we explored in this article, options like natural stone, recycled glass and plastic tiles, and cement-based composites are all viable eco-friendly alternatives to traditional pool surface materials.
When deciding on pool tiles, it’s important to evaluate aspects like durability, maintenance requirements, costs and total environmental footprint of different products. Sustainable options now exist that can rival the performance of conventional tiles. The best choice depends on priorities like aesthetics, budget and how "green" homeowners want their pool remodelling project to be.
Eco-tiling is an excellent option for pool owners looking to lessen the environmental impacts of their renovation. Materials from recycled waste streams or renewable resources like stone align well with sustainability goals while providing a durable, attractive, smooth surface.
If you need help choosing and installing eco-friendly pool tiles, consider contacting The Pool Co. As experts in sustainable pool solutions, we can help advise on the best tile material for your specific needs. We would be happy to provide a free estimate and pool design consultation. Call us today to discuss how we can help with your eco-friendly pool tiling project.
